Hannah Montana (TV Series) (DVD)

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5) "It's My Party, and I'll Lie If I Want To." Miley decides to lie to Lilly after her best friend embarrasses her at a concert. Jackson, meanwhile, meets a beautician who wants to practice on him, never suspecting it's a prank set up by Rico (Moises Arias).

6) "Grandmas Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to Play Favorites." Hanna is supposed to perform for the Queen of England, Jackson is in a volleyball tournament, and Grandma Stewart (Vicki Lawrence) pops into town for a surprise visit . . . and has a little to say about the family's priorities.

7) "It's a Mannequin's World." Despite Miley's hints, Robbie gets her the wrong clothes for a birthday present, which she's stuck wearing to her party. Jackson, meanwhile, tries to present her with a cake.

8) "Mascot Love." Lilly wants to cheer with Miley to spend more time together, but Miley ends up being the team mascot. Meanwhile, Jackson plays Mr. Plumber to earn some money from his dad.

9) "Ooh, Ooh, Itchy Woman." Mean girls Amber (Shanica Knowles) and Ashley (Anna Maria Perez de Tagle) get under Miley, Lilly, and Oliver's skin again.

10) "O Say, Can You Remember the Words?" Miley muffs the National Anthem at a Laker's game, and it makes her more sympathetic about her brother's stage fright.

11) "Oops! I Meddled Again." It's matchmaker time as Hannah and Lilly try to set a Hannah fan named Becca up with Oliver. Meanwhile, Rico puts the squeeze on Jackson.

12) "On the Road Again." Miley learns that her dad was once a pop star who fell off the face of the earth just about the time that fame came knocking.

13) "You're So Vain, You Probably Think This Zit Is About You." Lilly has to wear ugly glasses that make her self-conscious about competing in a skateboarding contest, while Miley and Jackson face their own self-image problems.

14) "New Kid in School." Fame comes to Seaview when TV star Jake Ryan (Cody Linley) gets the star treatment and can do no wrong, which makes Miley think it's time to tell the school about her own secret stardom. Meanwhile, Dad and Jackson get into a situation over borrowed cars.

15) "More Than a Zombie to Me." Though Miley turns Jake down when he invites her to a dance, she changes her mind when Hannah does a guest-spot on Jake's TV show and he confides he really likes a girl named Miley. Meanwhile, Jackson and his dad get into a practical joking contest.

16) "Good Golly, Miss Dolly." Miley's godmother, Aunt Dolly (Dolly Parton) visits, and she tells her about the now crush she has on Jake. Check yes if you want to get out of town after that confession was videotaped and is now in Jake's hands.

17) "Torn between Too Hannahs." Halloween episode has Cousin Luann, who looks exactly like Miley, playing tricks instead of treats, and it could cost Miley her identity.

18) "People Who Use People." Miley gets jealous when she sees Jake with another girl, and she tries to make him jealous in return. Meanwhile, Jackson tries to help his grades by encouraging his dad to date his teacher.

19) "Money for Nothing, Guilt for Free." Amber and Ashley have had a lock on the charity fundraising contest, but this year Miley and her friends want to put a stop to it.

20) "Debt It Be." Miley goes nuts with her credit card and begs her brother to help her pay it off before her dad discovers what she's done. That leads to a little ebay thinking.

21) "My Boyfriend's Jackson and There's Gonna Be Trouble." Paparazzi get a shot of Hannah with Jackson, and rumors spread they're a couple. Ick.

22) "We Are Family: Now Get Me Some Water!" Jackson loses his job because of the rumors, and so Miley hires him as her assistant. Bad move.

23) "School Bully." Miley is bullied by a girl called The Cracker. Meanwhile, Jackson and his dad get stuck in a cabin while trying to relive good old-time fishing trips.

24) "The Idol Side of Me." It's Amber and Ashley payback time again. Meanwhile, a barking dog drives Jackson and his dad bonkers.

25) "Smells Like Teen Sellout." Hannah has to endorse a perfume which Miley can't stand. Meanwhile, Jackson auditions for a TV survival show.

26) "Bad Moose Rising." The nasty next-door neighbor cons Miley and Jackson into showing his visiting niece a good time, which turns out to be a bad idea.

27) "That's So Suite Life of Hannah Montana." In this special episode, sitcoms cross wires as Hannah Montana arrives at the Tipton Hotel, which is so full of Disney teen stars you'd think they were having a convention. Raven, Ashley Tisdale, and Dylan and Cole Sprouse also appear.

Video:
Surprisingly, these episodes are in full screen (1.33:1)--and I say surprisingly because Walt Disney himself had the foresight to film in color even when he broadcast in black-and-white, anticipating the future. The future is clearly widescreen, so why not go that direction? This first season is also a little grainier and fuzzier than current shows, though it's nothing so bad that it affects your experience.

Audio:
Here too, it's a surprise that Disney wasn't more forward-thinking. The audio mix is a pretty standard (but functional) Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, nothing special. There's also a Spanish language track.

Extras:
You have to admire Disney. They do things so well, whether it's theme parks, videos, or full-length features. A "Backstage Disney" bonus feature on "Back Home Again with Miley" gives fans a chance to see the star away from the glare of bright lights and camera flashes. Also included is the kickoff episode of the "2008 Disney Channel Games" featuring a performance by Miley Cyrus," and a "Hannah's Highlights" reel.

Young fans might actually like an unadvertised bonus feature best: a sparkly iron-on appliqué of Hannah Montana's face with swirly stars around her, just waiting to become a part of your youngster's wardrobe.

Bottom Line:
"Hannah Montana" isn't just a crank-it-out sitcom for kids that relies on caricatures and sophomoric humor. You can really see the "I Love Lucy" influence in many of these well-crafted episodes. It's what makes this Disney Channel show a cut above the rest.

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